Rotary engine.



I. C. KNOWLES.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. *9. 1915.

1915. 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

6 2 m 0 d m aw P Rh h m I. C. KNOWLES.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED lAN.19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 l 9 1 n0 2 b O 0 Q 6 t H 6 L a D1 val a .A mm U N. mN h I. C. KNOWLES.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

IRVIN C. KNOWLES 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

noranr enema.

Specification of iietterslatent. 1 i I Patgnibcadl (Met, 26, 19115.,

Application filed January 19, 1915. Serial No. 3,092.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, IRVIN C. KNOWLES,

a citizen' of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful improve ments in Rotary Engines; and T do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rotary engines, designed for operation upon the expansion of the power agent within the cylinders for propelling the engine, and also to an engine particularly designed for use of volatile 0r combustible gas or non-combustible fuel such as steam or the like for propelling the same. i

The primary object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine which will generate a maximum amount of power upon the utilization of a minimum amount of fuel and one which will be more efficient in operation than analogous engines now in use.

A still further object of this invention is to mount upon the central shaft a fly wheel or rotor and to provide means operable by the outgoing motion of the piston for gripping said fly wheel or rotor and moving it a distance equal to the distance of travel of the piston.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel form of mechanism for returning the pistons within the cylinders upon the outward movement of the piston in an opposite set of cylinders.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed. a

Tn describing the inventionin detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional'view through the housing showing parts of the internal construction of the engine in plan and parts broken awav exposing the interior construction of certain of the cylinders and pistons. Fig. .2 is a cross sectional view through the engine. ig. 8 is an enlarged cross section through'the engine showing the manner of connecting the various piston supporting arms to the central shaft. Fig. 4: is a cross sectional view through one of the pistons,

and Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view of "the valve mechanism ,and means for operating the same. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the housing or casing of the rotary engine, which is substantially cylindrical in shape and has transversely extending ears or lugs 2. formed upon the base thereof, for securing the housing to a bed plate or any desired permanent support. The ousing 1 hasv an upstanding sleeve 3 formed on the surface of the base At thereof and encompassing the central axis of the base. The bore of the sleeve 3 communicates withthe exterior of the housing and is closed by a head 5 which is formed upon a disk 6. The disk 6 projects laterally from the periphery of the head 5 and is secured to an annular enlargement 7 formed on the sleeve 3, by means of bolts or other similar fastening devices 8. Packing washers 9 are inserted between the surface of the disk 6 and the outer surface of the base 4 of the housing 1 so as to form a fluid tight connection between the disk or head and the housing. The head 5 is provided with a recess '10 formed therein which extends inwardly from the upper face of the head and provides a bearing for the enlarged head 11 of the rotor shaft 12. The sleeve 3 has a bearing 13 formed upon its uppermost end,

'in which bearing is seated a friction ring of Babbitt or similar metal, so as to re- 'lieve the friction occasioned by the rotation frusto-conical -in shape and has a head or collar 16 mounted therein, which is provided with, a pluralitv 'of grooves 17 encompassing the central bore thereof 'as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The shaft 12 has a substantially frustoconic-ally shaped collar 18 swaged or shrunk thereon, the inclined sides of which rest in a pocket 19 formed in. the lower end of the collar16.

The shaft 12 has a connecting bar or arm secured thereto, by screw threaded engagement, as is shown at 31 in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The bar 30 projects upon op posite sides frhm the central axis of the shaft 12 and has secured to its outer end cylinders 32 and 33. The cylinders 32 and 33 are identical in construction. The cylinder 32 has a piston 35 slidably mounted therein, which piston has connected thereto a connecting rod 36, which connecting rod is in turn connected to the removable head 37 of a cylinder 38, which will be hereinafter more fully described. The piston 35 is provided with a bore 39 formed therein in which is slidably seated an auxiliary piston 40. The auxiliary piston 10 has a connecting rod 41 connected to its inner end, which rod is in turn connected to a lever 42. The lever 42 has a pin 43 carried by its outer end and projecting upon opposite sides thereof, which pin is externally screw threaded and has mounted upon its threaded portions disks 44C, and 435 which disks are provided for gripping the inner walls of a channel 46 which is formed in the rotor 4:7. The rotor 47 is carried by a shaft48, which is journaled in a bearing 49 formed in the top or upper end 50 of the housing 1. The upper end 50 of the housing is detachably connected to the side walls of the same by bolts or'analogous fastening devices 51, and it has a depending flange 52 formed thereupon, which engages a transversely extending flange 53 which is formed upon the upper.

end ofthe housing 1. .The bearing 49 is provided with Babbitt metal orsimilar material bearings 54; mounted therein, to decrease the wear upon the bearing and also to permit of the truing or replacing of a hearing when the same becomes worn. The rotor'47 is keyed to the shaft 48 and it has its flange or rim 55, which is provided with the channel 46 positioned to one side of the hub section thereof, which is formed by the curving of the outer ends of the spokes or supporting web 56 of the rotor.

The'shaft 12 has a connecting rod 60 rotatably mounted upon its inner upper end, which connecting rod has a transversely extending lug 61 formed upon its upper edge, which is positioned in alinement with the inner end of the shaft 48,as is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A suitable packing washer 62 is inserted between the upper or outer side of the connecting rod 60 and the lower end of the hub of the rotor 47. The connecting rod 60 has the cylinder 38 and a second'cylinder 62 connected to its ends and disposed upon opposite sides of the central aXis of the shaft. These cylinders are identical with the construction of the cylinders 32 and 33, having removable heads 37, upon the outer ends of which are formed ears 63, to which the connecting rods 36 and 64: of the piston 35 and the piston 65 which is carried by the cylinder 62, are connected. The connecting rod 60 has metallic packing rings 66 inserted therein, and engaging the shaft 12, which packlongitudinally within the shaft 12 and has communication with openings 73 and 74 formed in the connecting rod 30, which openings extend longitudinally through the connecting rod and have communication with the valves 75, for controlling the passage of the fuel into the cylinders 32 and 33. The bore 70 also communicates with open-' ings 76 and 77 which are formed in the connecting rod 60 and which have communication with valves which control the inlet of fuel into the cylinders 38 and 62. The hole 71 also extends longitudinally. within the shaft 12 and has communication with openings '78 and 79 formed in the connecting rod 30 and openings 80 and 81 formed in the connecting rod 60, which openings are provided forpermitting of the exhaust of the fuel from the respective cylinders 32, 33, 38 and 62. The bore 71 has communication with the transversely extending bore 84 which extends upwardly through the hearing section 13 and outwardly through a pipe 85 to provide for the proper exhaust of the engine. The valve 75 is seated in an enlargement 86 which is formed on the connecting rod 30, and it is positioned to one side of the cylinder 32, having communication therewith by passages 87 to control the inlet and exhaust of the fuel into and out of the cylinder 32. The valve 75 may be either aslide or pistonvalve as is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and it has an arm 88 connected thereto, which arm is in turn 0011- nected to one end of a bar or arm 89. The

bar or arm 89 is pivotally connected at 90 to a supporting bracket arm 91. The supporting bracket arm 91 is rigidly connected to the connecting rod 30 as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and. 5 of the drawings. The arm 89 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 92 formed in one end thereof,

which is positioned upon the opposite side of the pivoted point 90 from the end to I which the arm 88 is connected. The slot twaaee proper operation of the valve for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and from the cylinder 32. The valve construction carried by the cylinders 33, 38 and 62 are identical with the construction heretofore described.

The heads of cylinders 32, 33, 38 and 62 have lugs 97 formed thereon which engage a flange 98 which is formed'on and extends inwardly into the housing 1. The lugs 97 engaging the flange 98' prevent backward movement of the cylinders ,upon the forcing or inlet of fuel therein.

The operation of the rotary engine is as follows: The piston 100 in the cylinder 38 is shown at the beginning of the stroke, and is under pressure. The cylinder 38 is pre vented from moving backward, by a lug 97 formed thereon which engages the flange 98. As the fuel enters the cylinder the piston moves forward, carrying with it the connecting rod 101, which is identical with the connecting rod 36 heretofore described. The forward movement of the piston within the cylinder causes the piston to assume the position of the piston 35 which is mounted in the cylinder 32 and as shown at the upper view of Fig. 1 of the drawings. Hereafter the operation of the parts will be described in relation with the cylinder 32, the piston 35 and the various parts of the mechanism carried thereby. The piston 35 which is forced outwardly by the incoming fuel, will operate the piston 40, causing the rod 41 to operate the lever 42, which will rotate the square threaded-pin 43. The rotation of the threaded pin 43 will cause the disks 44 and 45 to move outwardly and frictionally grip the facing walls of the-channel 46, formed in the rim 55 of the rotor 56, which will cause the rotor to move or travel a distance equal to the distance of travel of the piston 35 within the cylinder 32. The connecting rod 36 is connected to the cylinder head 37 by means of the car 63 and a pin 63, so that when the piston 35 has reached the end of its stroke in the'cylinder'32, it will have car ried the cylinder head 37 and the cylinder 38 forward until the piston 100 is at the beginning of a stroke as is clearly shown by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. Owing to the fact that the cylinders 32 and 33 are connected by the connecting rod 30, and the cylinders 38 and 62 are connected by theconnecting rod 60, it will be seen that when the pair of opposed pistons namely the pistons 32 and 33 which form one pair of opposed pistons and the piston 38 and 62 which form another pair of opposed pistons are at the end of a stroke the other pair of the opposed pistons will be at the beginning of a stroke and vice versa. The fuel, which may be live steam, volatile fuel or any desired similar fuel which will efficiently operate the pistons, enters the various cylinders through the bores and 71 and the various openings heretofore described, and forces the pistons outwardly within the respective cylinders as has been heretofore described, forming a continuous operation of the pistons, and consequently a continuous rotation ofthe rotor 56, eliminating the lost motion found in the ordinary type of reciprocatory engine, and also eliminating the dead centers. The op eration of the pistons will automatically operate the valves in the manner heretofore de scribed.

It will. be seen by reference to the foregoing specification and the drawings, that a rotary engine with increased efiiciency is provided, by reason of a constant torque due to the angularity of the connecting rods 36, 64, 101 and 105, and movement of the rotor 56 will be constant and not intermittent as, in reciprocatory engines which have two dead centers to every revolution. Furthermore the parts in the foregoing engine continue in one direction, the pistons move forward, then cylinders are broughtup in place by the alternate pistons, forming a continuous forward movement of the parts. Another distinctive advantage of thisrotary engine is the increased efi'ective piston stroke. When the engine is first started, the cylinders will remain stationary by pressure holding the lugs 97 against the flange 98.

When the engine reaches speed, and pressure is alternately admitted to the cylinders, the pressure between the piston and the cylinder heads will require a fraction of time to overcome momentum of cylinders, etc., therefore stroke will be, stroke of piston in cylinder plus distance cylinder revolved before pressure overcame momentum of mass comprising cylinders, etc., thereby eliminating the use of a fly wheel eifect as in ordinary engines to stop the mass of parts and start them in opposite direction, transforming this energy to useful effort/and eliminating reciprocatory losses. I

From the foregoing description .taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved rotary engine will be 'readily' apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing de- -scr1pt1on, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of constructlon, combination and arrange ment of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed. a i

What is claimed is I 1. In a rotary engine, a rotor embodying a rim having 'a facial annular channel,- a connecting' rod, a pair of cylinders carried by said connecting rod and disposed in opposed relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, means for connecting said pistons to said rim upon outward movement of said pistons within said cylinders, said means automatically releasing the connection between said pistons and said rim upon the inward movement of said pistons within said cylinders.

2; In a rotary engine, a rotor, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, said pistons mounted for outward movement within said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel within the cylinders, said cylinders mounted for movement over the pistons after the outward'movement of said pistons.

3. In a rotary engine, a rotor, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, said pistons mounted for outward movement within said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel within the cylinders,

said cylinders mounted for movement over the pistons after the outward movement of said pistons, and means for preventing reverse movement of the cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

4:. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston slidably mounted within said cylinder, a second piston slidably carried by said first named piston, valves for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, and means connected to said second named piston for automatically operating said valve. 5. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for synchronous movement therewith, a pair of cylinders carried by the outer ends of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons carried by said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylin ders, said connecting rods being provided with channels extending therethrough and communicating. with said valves, said shaft being provided with longitudinally extending bores, said bores communicating with said openings for permitting of the inlet andexhaust of fuel through said valves and into said cylinders.

6. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for synchronous movement therewith, a pair of cylinders carried by the outer ends of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons carried by said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inletand exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, said connecting rods being provided with channels extending therethrough and communicating with said valves, said shaft beingprovided with longitudinally extending bores, said bores communicating with said openings for permitting of the inlet and exhaust of fuel through said valves and into said cylinders, a connecting rod mounted upon said shaft for independent movement with respect thereto, said independently movable connecting rodbeing provided with openings extending therethrough which communicate with said longitudinal shaft bores, cylinders mounted in opposed relation to each other and upon the outer ends of said second named connecting rods, valves carried by said independently movable connecting rod for controlling the passage of fuel through said openings, a rotor, and means for rotating said rotor synchronously with the movement of said connecting rods and said cylinders.

7. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for synchronous movement therewith, a. pair of cylinders carried by the outer end of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons carried by said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into said cylinders, said con necting rods being provided with channels extending therethrough and communicating with said valves, said shaft being provided with longitudinally extending bores, said bores communicating with said openings for permitting of the inlet and exhaust of fuel through said valves and into said cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, auxiliary pistons carried by said first named pistons, and means connecting said auxiliary pistons to said valves for controlling the operation of said valves upon the movement of said pistons.

8. In a rotary engine, a central, shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for synchronous movement therewith, a pair of cylinders carried by the outer end of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons carried by said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into said cylinders, said connecting rods being provided with channels extending therethrough and communicating with said valves, said shaft being provided with longitudinally extending bores, said bores communicating with said openings for permitting of the inlet and exhaust of fuel through said valves and into said cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, auxiliary pistons carried by said first named pistons, and means connecting said auxiliary pistons to said valves for controlling the operation of said valves upon the movement of said pistons, and means for preventing reverse movement of said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

9. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a

(Bil) connecting rod carried by said shaft for movement therewith, cylinders mounted upon the ends of said connecting rod, and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, valves carried by saidconnecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, and means for operating said valves.

10. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for movement therewith, cylinders mounted upon the ends of said connecting rod and being disposed inopposite relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, means for operating said valves, and means for preventing reverse movement of said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

11. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for movement therewith, cylinders mounted upon the ends of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, auxiliary pistons carried by said first named pistons, and meansconnecting said auxiliary pistons to said valves for controlling the operation of said valves upon movement of said pistons.

12. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaftfor movement therewith, upon the ends of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, auxiliary pistons carried by said first named pistons, means connecting saidvauxiliary pistons to said valves for controlling the operation of said valves upon movement of said pistons, and means for preventing reverse movement of the cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

13. In a rotary engine, a central shaft, a connecting rod carried by said shaft for independent movement with respect thereto, a pair of cylinders carried by the outer ends of said connecting rod and being disposed in opposite relation to each other, pistons slidably mounted within said'cylinders,-valves carried by said connecting rod for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, said shaft being provided with longitudinally extending fuel inlet and outlet bores, said connecting rod provided with openings extending therethrough and communicating with said shaftcarried cylinders mounted bores, and said valves whereby the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and. out of said cylinders will be controlled by the operation of said valves.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a rotor provided with an annular channel, a plurality of disksarranged in pairs and positioned within said channel, and means for moving said disks into and out of engagementwith the walls of said channel.

15. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a rotor having an annular channel, a plurality of disks arranged in pairs and positioned within said channel, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, and means operatively con necting each pair of said disks and one of said pistons for moving said disks into binding engagement with the walls of said chan nel upon outward movement of said pistons within said cylinders for rotating said rotor.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a rotor having an annular facial channel, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, said pistons 17. In a rotary engine, the combination,

of a rotor having an annular facial channel, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, said pistons mounted for outward movement within said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel within the cylinders, said cylinders mounted for move- 'ment over the pistons after the outward movement of said pistons, a plurality of disks arranged in pairs and positioned with- 1n said channel, means operatively connecting each pair of said disks and one of said pistons for moving said disks into binding engagement with the walls of said channel upon the outward movement of said piston, said means being adapted for automatically moving saiddisks out of engagement with the side walls of said channel upon the movement of said cylinders over said pistons.

18. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a rotor having an angular facial channel, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders, said pistons mounted for outward movement within said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel within the cylinders, said cylinders mounted for movement over the pistons after the IIW rality of disks arranged in pairs and positioned within said channel, means opera-' tively connecting each pair of said disks and one of said pistons for moving said disks into binding engagement with the walls of said channel upon the outward movement of said piston, said means being adapted for automatically moving/said disks out of engagement with the sidewalls of said channel upon the movement of saidcylinders over said pistons, and means for preventing reverse movement of the cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

19. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a rotor having an annular facial channel, a plurality of cylinders, pistons slidably mounted within said cylinders said pistons mounted for outward movement within said cylinders upon the inlet of fuel within 7 the cylinders, said cylinders mounted for movement over the pistons after the outward movement of said pistons, a plurality of disks arranged in pairs and positioned within said channel, means operatively connecting each pair of said disks and one of said pistons for moving said disks into binding engagement with the walls of said channel upon the outward movement of said piston,said means being adapted for automatically moving said disks out of engagement with the side walls of said channel upon the movement of said cylinders over said pistons, valves for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, auxiliary pistons slidably carried by said first named pistons, said auxiliary/pistons ment over the pistons after the outward movement of said pistons, a plurality of disks arranged in pairs and positioned within said channel, means operatively connecting each pair of said disks and one of said pistons for moving said disks into binding engagement with the walls of said channel upon the outward movement of said piston, said means being adapted for automatically moving said disks out of engagement with the side walls of said channel upon the movement of said cylinders over said pistons, valves for controlling the inlet and exhaust of fuel into and out of said cylinders, auxiliary pistons slidably carried by said first named pistons, said auxiliary pistons being operatively connected to said valves for controlling the operation of the valves, and means for preventing reverse movement. of. the cylinders upon the inlet of fuel therein.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

; invm o. nnovmns.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. KNOWLES, JOHN FEHRER. 

